A decade of dining excellence
As it celebrates its tenth anniversary – and the opening of a new restaurant in Guilford – Eileen Leahy takes a table at Zorba’s Meze Grill to sample its authentic Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine and warm hospitality. She also discovers why it’s still winning the hearts – and appetites – of discerning diners…
It’s a gorgeous summer’s evening when my husband, Steve, and I pay a visit to Zorba’s Meze Grill. Located on Upper Grosvenor Road, the restaurant, which celebrates a decade in business this year, specialises in Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine. It has become a firm favourite with discerning diners thanks to its adventurous yet authentic menu, welcoming atmosphere and attentive service.
Tonight, the staff are on particularly fine form, sporting England football shirts and waving St George’s flags as they greet guests ahead of England’s quarter-final against Norway.
We’re shown to our table by Zorba’s General Manager, Onur Sahin. It’s perfectly positioned close to the restaurant’s famous mangal grill, allowing diners to watch the talented chefs at work in the open kitchen as they sear succulent cubes of shish, flame-grill lamb chops and expertly cook marinated meats over the glowing coals.
There’s also that unmistakable aroma drifting from the grill – smoky, fragrant and utterly mouth-watering. It’s dinner and a show rolled into one and certainly gets the tastebuds tingling.
Menus arrive promptly, along with a drinks order. Steve opts for an ice-cold Efes, his favourite Turkish beer, while I choose a chilled glass of Pinot Grigio Blush.
Whenever we visit Zorba’s, deciding what to order is never easy because everything sounds so tempting.
The extensive menu features an impressive selection of traditional hot and cold meze, from smoky baba ganoush and delicately stuffed vine leaves to golden pan-fried halloumi and crisp, sesame-coated falafel. There’s also an irresistible array of charcoal-grilled meats including ribs, shish and beyti – the restaurant’s spiced kofte-style kebab. Diners can choose to enjoy their grilled meats simply cooked over the coals or served atop cooling yoghurt, creating the perfect balance of smoky spice and creamy richness.
Vegetarians and pescatarians are equally well catered for, with everything from fresh seafood meze and crisp courgette fritters to vegetarian moussaka and fragrant vegetable tagine on offer. As well as the evening menu there are special lunchtime deals and you can even commission Zorba’s to do your private catering too.
Each dish arrives beautifully presented on handcrafted glazed crockery, while the restaurant itself combines mango wood tables, leather banquettes, exposed brickwork and statement lighting to create a contemporary yet relaxed setting. The aesthetics are very much on point here…
Following the success of the Tunbridge Wells restaurant, another Zorba’s was opened a few years ago in Lewes and in September the group will open another site in Guildford.
But back to our evening in Tunbridge Wells…after much deliberation, we finally make our choices.
I simply can’t resist the house taramasalata. Made from smoked cod’s roe, it’s wonderfully creamy and tangy. Served with warm, pillowy triangles of Turkish flatbread, it’s one of those starters that’s impossible to stop dipping into.
Steve chooses the restaurant’s signature garlic tiger prawns. Butterflied and chargrilled until lightly caramelised, they’re bathed in a rich garlic butter with a drizzle of sweet honey and warming chilli. The sauce is so good that we’re soon tearing pieces of flatbread apart to mop up every last drop.
Mindful not to fill up too quickly, we pace ourselves before the main event arrives.
Fresh from a family holiday in the Mediterranean, I can’t resist the grilled octopus. Tender rather than chewy, it’s beautifully charred and dressed with fragrant garlic butter, smoky paprika, oregano and freshly chopped parsley. The delicate sweetness of the seafood shines through, while the herbs and seasoning perfectly complement its subtle flavour.
Steve opts for the Bodrum Çökertme, a traditional dish from the Bodrum region featuring seasoned minced meat layered over crisp matchstick potatoes and finished with cool, creamy yoghurt. Rich, comforting and packed with flavour, it’s easy to see why this regional favourite has stood the test of time.
Both dishes are accompanied by fluffy bulgur rice and a crisp, refreshing salad.
Despite feeling fairly full, the dessert menu proves too tempting to ignore.
I enjoy a couple of scoops of intensely nutty pistachio ice cream, while Steve wastes no time polishing off a warm chocolate fondant with its irresistibly molten centre.
By now, the restaurant, which had been buzzing when we arrived, is beginning to empty as diners head off to watch the England match. Had there not been a game on we would have definitely stayed on to soak up more of the atmosphere of this fantastic establishment as it really does feel like you’ve been transported to the sunny climes of the Med as soon as you step over its threshold. Until next time…
To book a table or find out more, visit www.zorbamezegrill.com or follow
@zorba_mezegrill on social media.
